Chapter 99

Wei Sheng and the others didn’t take it seriously. After all, the entertainment industry was a hotbed for CP shipping—two people with absolutely nothing going on could be shipped by fans into oblivion just because they played a couple on screen. There’d be endless fan edits, fanfics, and fans would be dying for them to get married on the spot and have two kids within three years.

Even the gossip-spreader Yang Junyao only shipped them casually for two days before forgetting all about it.

Until one day, a cameraman from the show team happened to catch Shao Ping and Qin Fang walking hand-in-hand through the riverside park in Haitang Garden… What the hell! They actually got together?

CP stan Yang Junyao immediately dropped her work and ran off to the elders to investigate.

Soon enough, she returned with freshly brewed gossip.

“It’s true, it’s true! They’re really together!” Yang Junyao sounded more excited than if she were announcing her own engagement.

“That doesn’t make sense. Sister Qin’s already been burned once—she wouldn’t jump into a flash marriage again, would she?” Wei Sheng found this turn of events hard to believe.

“That’s what you don’t know! Apparently, it’s all thanks to Sister Qin Fang’s ex-husband. That guy’s a real piece of work. When Qin Fang refused to remarry him, he actually tried to take the kids away! Said Qin Fang didn’t own property, her income wasn’t high, and that by all rights the children should’ve been awarded to their side… basically, he wanted to use the kids to force Qin Fang to go back.”

“And then?”

“Then Brother Shao Ping, along with a few of our community center’s security guards, helped Sister Qin get the kids back.”

“The kids were terrified. During the struggle, one of their arms got hurt. Brother Shao Ping drove Qin Fang to the hospital. After they returned, we don’t know what he said to her, but Sister Qin agreed to start dating him.”

“I heard Brother Shao Ping’s parents already snuck over to check out their future daughter-in-law and were very satisfied. Now they’re looking for a renovation company to fix up a new place under Shao Ping’s name. Once it’s ready, they’re planning to bring Sister Qin Fang home.”

“Brother Shao Ping’s mom even said that as long as Qin Fang agrees to marry her son, they’ll add her name to the property deed after the marriage. Tsk tsk~ Let’s see what face her ex-husband has left to ask for a reconciliation now!”

Word is, that ex of Qin Fang’s didn’t even consider adding her name to the house. He was stingy with living expenses too, afraid she’d squirrel away savings. He insisted on personally buying all the diapers and formula. That man actually had the nerve to give her just fifty yuan a day to buy food for six people, and even demanded that she log every single expense.

Qin Fang must’ve been incredibly patient. Any other woman would’ve bolted in the middle of the night!

These days, hiring a housekeeper to cook and clean costs at least 5,000 yuan a month. This guy didn’t even pay a salary, and expected her to feed six people on fifty bucks a day? What, were they all reincarnated abacuses?

No wonder!

If Shao Ping’s parents had that kind of attitude, it was no surprise Qin Fang could accept him.

Truth was, any woman who’d been married knew that marrying a man wasn’t just about the man—it was just as important to look at his family. If the in-laws were decent people, the odds of a happy marriage doubled.

Wei Sheng especially could relate to that!

While the group chatted excitedly, they had no idea the couple in question was undergoing a crucial pre-marriage ritual: meeting the parents.

Both Shao Ping and Qin Fang were no longer young. More importantly, Qin Fang was currently renting a place and raising two kids alone. Her shameless ex, Jin Haiyang, clearly intended to pester her into remarrying. He didn’t get the kids this time, but who knew what dirty tricks he’d pull next?

Shao Ping didn’t want to take advantage of her situation, but in that moment, something inexplicable stirred in him—he wanted to be selfish for once.

He thought, since Qin Fang needed a husband in name only to shield her from her troublesome ex, and since he wanted to see if there was a real chance for them, why not go with the flow and become a “fake” couple for now?

If they truly had the fate to be husband and wife, then living together like this would naturally make things work out.

If they didn’t, then even if he were completely healthy, it wouldn’t matter. If there’s no spark, there’s no spark—no explanation needed.

Shao Ping had already made up his mind. If Qin Fang could accept his situation, he would treat her well for life and treat the kids like his own.

Even if they couldn’t stay married in the end, with this formal tie between them, even if it ended in divorce, he could still provide more financial security for her and the children.

He had no intention of doing any prenuptial agreements.

They both knew this marriage was just a temporary arrangement, but—Shao Ping’s parents didn’t!

Looking at their gentle and beautiful daughter-in-law, and then at the two delicate and adorable granddaughters, Shao Ping’s parents were so moved they nearly cried tears of joy. They pulled out all the stops in hospitality, and even felt they hadn’t done enough because—

“Oh no! We forgot to buy toys! Sigh! It’s been so long since we had little kids around. Old man, drive Tong Tong and Xuan Xuan to buy some toys now!” Shao Ping’s mother urged her husband repeatedly.

Qin Fang quickly stopped them. With her experience raising kids—especially her younger daughter Xuan Xuan, whom she often left at the community center—she always had plush toys, little trinkets, and snacks tucked into her schoolbag.

As for the older one, Tong Tong was already in third grade. Since the first two grades had no homework, the sudden load in grade three had her working hard every day. She took her schoolbag everywhere, always ready to do homework, so there was no need for adults to supervise.

Hearing this, Shao Ping’s mother looked at her granddaughters with a hint of affection in her eyes. “They’re still so young. No need to rush the studying. Come, let Grandma take you for some fruit and cartoons!”

She took one in each hand and brought Tong Tong and Xuan Xuan over to the sofa to watch TV.

Qin Fang had no idea the Shao family was this wealthy!

She had thought they lived in a regular apartment like the Jin family. She never imagined they had a four-story detached villa!

The front yard alone was twice the size of the Jin family’s three-bedroom home!

The first floor had a double-height ceiling, with a five-meter-high living room and a long crystal chandelier hanging luxuriously. The leather sofas were soft and elegant.

Beside the living room was a one-meter raised platform. Up a few steps was the dining area, next to the kitchen. Behind the kitchen was a small door, and through the spotless floor-to-ceiling windows, she could see there was even a private garden in back…

Qin Fang didn’t need to go upstairs to realize—this kind of wealth was beyond her reach.

Thankfully, she and Shao Ping were only pretending to be a couple for now. She only wanted to use this formal marriage to shake off her ex and his family. Besides, in her eyes, Shao Ping was handsome, well-educated, and now obviously rich too. How could a divorced rural woman with two kids possibly deserve such an outstanding man?

But to Shao Ping’s parents, Qin Fang’s reserve and politeness were filtered through their ideal daughter-in-law lens, transformed into grace and good manners.

They’d had relatives and friends try to set Shao Ping up before. Some even used New Year visits as an excuse to bring girls over.

But as soon as those girls stepped in, they couldn’t stop eyeing the house and subtly prying about how much the family made or how many properties they owned. That instantly soured Shao Ping’s mom’s mood.

But look at Qin Fang! Who said rural girls were shallow? She sat properly, never tried to snoop about their finances, didn’t even glance around at the house!

“I told you, didn’t I? Xiao Qin’s clearly a girl with backbone! Look at how she divorced her ex and is raising two kids on her own—she’s exactly my type!” Shao Ping’s mother said contentedly while cooking.

Sometimes, that first impression really is magic—ever since the community cafeteria when she first laid eyes on Qin Fang…

When she first saw Qin Fang at the community canteen, Shao’s mother already thought the girl looked pleasant and likable. After meeting her properly and spending some time together, she found that Qin Fang’s personality, temper, and manners all completely aligned with her own expectations.

If her son hadn’t warned her not to scare the girl away, Shao’s mother would have eagerly taken out the gold bracelet she had set aside for her future daughter-in-law.

“Let’s hope our son steps up and wins her over soon!” The more Shao’s mother thought about it, the happier she became. She had already started imagining the scene of proudly showing off her two adorable granddaughters, one in each hand.

The cameraman following Shao Ping and Qin Fang felt like he wasn’t filming a workplace variety show, but a dating show instead.

How to put it—although Shao Ping and Qin Fang never acted intimately in front of the camera or exchanged passionate declarations, their interactions were just… incredibly sweet.

At mealtime, Qin Fang habitually tried to tend to her younger daughter, but Shao Ping swiftly took over Xuan Xuan’s bowl and utensils.

“Drink the soup while it’s hot. My mom specially made black-bone chicken soup for you. I’ll feed Xuan Xuan.”

After being someone’s daughter-in-law for so many years, this was the first time Qin Fang didn’t have to fuss over anyone at the table—she just had to quietly enjoy her meal.

Shao’s mother kept refilling her bowl and serving her food, while Shao Ping took great care of Xuan Xuan: peeling shrimp, cutting steak into bite-sized pieces, and placing them into her small bowl.

After lunch, Qin Fang and Shao Ping had to head back to work. It was the weekend, and normally, Qin Fang would take Tong Tong and Xuan Xuan to the service center where they could read or watch TV in the activity area. But Shao’s mother was heartbroken just hearing that and quickly waved her hand.

“You and Shao Ping just go to work! Leave Tong Tong and Xuan Xuan with me. I’ll take them to the amusement park this afternoon. Come back for dinner, and then take the kids home after that.”

That afternoon, Qin Fang experienced for the first time what it felt like to have a reliable mother-in-law. Tong Tong and Xuan Xuan went to the city’s biggest children’s amusement park for the first time. Grandpa Shao bought them the largest colorful cotton candy, took them to feed alpacas and peacocks, while Grandma Shao took them on the Ferris wheel!

Sitting up there, the sisters were both excited and scared, wide-eyed as they gazed at the city below. They didn’t even want to come down.

Shao’s mother was a social butterfly, and with a quick flash of inspiration, came up with a “daughter-in-law binding strategy”—she bought a family annual pass for two adults and two kids. The card could only be used in person, meaning that from now on, she and her husband could bring Tong Tong and Xuan Xuan to the amusement park every weekend.

As for their son and daughter-in-law? Young people shouldn’t always be working weekends. If the grandparents helped with the kids, the couple could have some time to date properly, right?

This was exactly what Shao’s mother appreciated most about Qin Fang.

If her son had ended up with a never-married woman, Shao’s mother would have worried about her insistence on having kids, possibly refusing IVF, and in the end, it could have led to divorce.

{T/N: IVF (In Vitro Fertilization) is a fertility treatment where an egg is fertilized by sperm outside the body in a lab. The resulting embryo is then placed into the uterus to try to achieve pregnancy. It’s used by people with fertility issues, genetic concerns, or those needing donor eggs or sperm.}

But Qin Fang was different. She already had two daughters, so she wasn’t obsessed with having more. On the contrary, if she and Shao Ping never had children, it would actually be better for Tong Tong and Xuan Xuan.

Ah, the heart of a parent! After their son’s accident, Shao’s parents had no more extravagant hopes for his marriage. They only wished that before they died, they could see their son find a partner who would stand by him through thick and thin. Even if they didn’t have a biological child—an adopted one would be fine—so long as he wouldn’t be alone in old age.

Now it seemed Qin Fang was the perfect daughter-in-law for their family! Gentle, beautiful, and bringing two lovely little girls with her—it was like buying one and getting two free. The Shao family had hit the jackpot!

In the past, Qin Fang had no idea how happy a marriage blessed by both sets of parents could be. But now, she finally understood.

After she and Shao Ping “became official,” her younger daughter Xuan Xuan never went to the senior center again.

To be more precise, she never even had the chance to take Xuan Xuan there.

Shao’s parents, despite their age, now got up earlier than the younger folks. For some reason, the two of them had suddenly taken a liking to coming over to her rental on the west side of town for breakfast—and they would take Xuan Xuan out to eat too. After that, they just brought her straight home, not even giving Qin Fang a chance to object.

In the afternoon, Grandpa Shao would swing by the park for a game of chess, and then “casually” detour by the school to pick up Tong Tong as well.

In the evening, Shao Ping would pick up Qin Fang from work. After dinner at the Shao home, there were a few times when Tong Tong and Xuan Xuan had so much fun they didn’t want to leave, so they simply stayed overnight.

After a while, and under Shao’s mother’s relentless hints, Qin Fang had no choice but to give up her rented apartment and move into the Shao family’s four-story villa with her children.

Not long after this episode aired, the production team received wedding candies from Shao Ping—everyone got a share!
(End of Chapter)